Beverly e



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BEVERLY E. MEAD, OF PEEKSKILL, NET YORK.

GAME.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,731, dated January 3, 1865.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, BEVERLY E. MEAD, ofv

Peekskill, Westchester county, New York State, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Games 5 andI do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had t-o the accompanying drawings and the letters of refv erence marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in providing a miniature fort or castle, or a plain box will suiice, with holes in the sides nea-r the bottom so sloped or beveled that a marble inserted from within may partially project on the outside and become a mark, to be driven in by the shooting ot' another marble at it from the outside. l also construct the fort so that a marble thus driven in can be readily returned to its place l-y tilting the box toward the proper side. In addition to this game of skill in shooting, my invention alows games to be proposed which shall depend for success upon combinations of numbers corresponding to the holes from which the marble is driven and the position in the fort where it rests, thus causing a very ex. citingand attractive game ot' marbles to exercise a child in all the fundamental rules of arithmetic, and in a short time to make him unawares proficient therein.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure 1 represents a form ofthe invention.

c b c d represent the four sides beveled, or sloping inward.

@represents the bottom. The sides are eight and onehalt' inches in length at the top, and ten at the bottom, and four inches deep, exclusive of moldings, 85e.

a' a' cc represent the holes, ve-eighths of au inch in diameter at the outer surface, and their lower edge oneeighth ot' an inch below the upper surface of the bottom of the box, the hole sloping upward, as shown by section, Fig. 2, The holes is also enlarged in all directions toward the inside, except below.

y y represent indentations in the bottom arranged in rows in line with the holes.

a represents an excavation in the bottom,

and corresponds to the hole x, and is continuous with it, causing the marble to be guided to the hole when it is desirable to replace the marble.

F represents a Hag-statt' that may be elevated on any part ofthe bottom. The sides and bottom may be constructed of metal, wood, paper, or other suitable material,plain or ornamen ted, ot'a size larger or smaller than that indicated, and with holes larger or smaller, according to the size ot' the marbles used. The sides may be straight and the figure of the apparatus may be as fancy dictates. The holes may be few or many in number, and in one or more sides. Ten will usually be the most proper number, or five for the use ot' very small children. It' they are made in each of four sides, they can be used most completely. lndentations in the bottom are the best means for obtaining their intended purpose, but any marks or figures can be made to serve the purpose, and neither are necessary for the most simple objects of the invention. Each hole, indentation, or row of indentations may be figured-or the numbers may be omitted.

The invention is to be used as follows: The number of marbles corresponding to the holes in one ofthe sides is to be putin the box, then by tilt-ing it toward the side to be used and agitating it, the marbles will be caused to assume their proper positions in the holes. The number of persons who are to play may each be furnished with a marble, or one may sufice for all. The apparatus may be placed on the door or on a table, and a distance chosen from which to shoot at its exposed marbles. The flag-staff may be raised upon any point of the bottom ot' the box, or the game may be played without its use. The iirst marksman then shoots a marble at those lying in the holes :v x. His shot is counted, according to agreement, either as simply one, or according to the number of the hole from which a marble has been driven, or the place of its rest, or by the result of adding, subtracting, multiplying or dividing those elements, while an additional combination may be made if the dag-statt' is used. The second marksman then takes his turn, and so the game proceeds.

I do not claim the construction of a box with holes in thesides through which to shoot the position of a marble at rest after being marbles, nor do I claim iudenting oriiguring driven from one of the holes in the manner the bottom of a box; but and for the purpose substantially as set forth. What I claim as my invention, and desire to 3. The use of a iiag-staffin combination with secure by Letters Patent, isthe holes in the side of the box in the manner l. The construction of the holes w a: in the and for the purpose substantially as set forth. Walls a b c d in the manner and for the pur BEVERLY E. MEAD. pose substantially asset forth. Per T. S. LAMBERT, Atty.

2. The making of marks, figures, or iuden- Vitnesses: tations in the bottom of a box in combination D. S. STEWART, with figured holes in its sides for indicating ANDW. STEWART, Jr. 

